Vertically adjustable table construction



March 6, 1951 B. HOPPE VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1950 N NN INVENTOR BORIS HOPFE.

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B. HOPPE VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE CONSTRUCTION March 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 12, 1950 INVENTOR. BORIS HOPPEI.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED i iSTATES PATFENT' omcs' ".VERTI'CALLYJADJUSTA'BLE TABLE 'GONSTRUCTION ;t BQ iSIHQBDQ, :Kew Gardens, N'LY.

; Application January -l2, 1950;, Serial No; 138,135

1 Glaini. (o1. 311.-39)

being mechanized-and which-willbe simple and easy to construct an'd operate.

The present invention providest'a-construction which overcomest-hese difiicultiesand which has been highl satisfactory impractical use.

Further and morespeoifie objects; features and advantages of the invention will-appearfrom the following I detailed description taken in connection with the appended drawings-which form a part of this specification and illustrate-by way of example a preferred form'of theinvention.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a 'view spartly- -in section, showing a preferred form ofthe invention-*in side-elevation, the table in its lowered condition :being shown in full lines, and the dotted lines showing the positionof parts when thetable top is elevated, and

Fig. 2 is a bottom-view of theconstructiomo Fig. 1.

Referring now to-the drawings in further detail, the tableas shown may comprise atable top Ill having, if desired; hinged-drop leaves as at II, IZ'of conventional'form and.adapted-'tobe' swung to horizontal position and supported by any conventionalwell-knownmeans-(not shown).

Two spaced-apartleg structures'indicated genorally at I3, I4, are-provided,:eachof these in-' cluding an upper leg'portiomas at'fi and a lower legportion as at I6, thelatter-being pi-votally connected adjacent its upper-end by pain of hinges as at Ii to the-lower end of the upper leg portion I5. Each of theupper'leg portions is pivotally connected with'respect to theunder side of the table top as byshaft-means or pins asat I8 mounted in any suitable depending supporting means as at- IQ, 20 fixed-to the-under side-of the table top.

A member 2| is also rigidlysecured to the under side of the tabletop in a; deper1dipg--position intermediate the two leg structures." \At the lower end of the member 2| a pair of brace members as at 22, 23 are pivotally connected as by hinges 2 3, 25. The other endsofthese brace members respectively are pivotally connected with respect to the lower leg portions as by hinges 26,27. Thus when the table top is in its lower position, the parts are so constructed, arranged and connected with the brace members 22, 23 that they will normally assume a generally horizontal endto-end relationship but, as indicated by dotted erence numerals but the numerals being accom panied by prime marks-in the case of the right hand leg structure as it appears in Fig. 1.

Assuming that the table top is in its lower position for use as a so-called coileetable, then it will be apparent from Fig. 1 that the lower leg portions I6, I6 will be in generally vertical positions with their upper ends supporting the under side of the table top. Rubber or other yieldable buffer means may be inserted in-the under side of the table top a at 30, 3!! to resiliently engagethe upper ends of the lower leg portions when the table is-in this condition. At this time it will be noted that the upper leg-portions I5, I5 will beswung inwardly and downwardly toward each other, thepositions of their inner ends being controlled by their pivotingpins at I8, I8.

As will now be described, amechanism (which will hereinafter be referred to as rotary motion reversing means) is provided so that when one of the leg structures is operated, the other will be concurrently operated. This means prefer-' ably comprises a pair of sheet metal arms as at 32 both suitably securedat one end to, and rotatable with legportion I5, and a similar pair of oppositel rotatable arms .33 secured atone, end' to, and rotatable with the'other upper leg pork tion I5. These. arms act in conjunction with .the' upper leg portions I5,'I5' in themann'erof bell by'grasping one or b'othoflthe lower.leg1portions or by pushing one or the other of hand buttons 39, 39 downwardly and inwardly with respect to the table top, or in some cases by similarly lifting the table top. The upper and lower leg portions may thus be moved into the end-to-end relation indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to support the table top in its upper position.

The upper end of each lower leg portion as at 31 (Fig. 1) may be recessed to receive the lower end of the upper leg portion having a complimentary recess and in a manner so that when the leg portions come together as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, a firm knuckle-like joint will be provided and the exposed outer line of demarcation at the joint, viz., at 38, will be somewhat higher than the pivot l1 and thus be more nearly concealed from view than would be the case if a butt joint straight across were provided between the two leg portions at this point.

With the particular form of the invention as shown, it will be noted that the lower portions of each of the two leg structures are substantially of a conventional Duncan Phyfe design. That is, the lower portions of members [6, l8 each terminates in a pair of foot portions as at 40, 4|, which diverge outwardly at angles conventional for such design, toward positions so that contact with the floor is at or adjacent points directly under the corners of the table top. In addition to the highly stable, attractive design which is thereby afforded, the use of foot portions diverging in this way is particularly advantageous with the present invention for a reason which will now be explained in conjunction with the dot-dash lines (a) (b) at the right hand side of Fig. 1. That is, it will be noted that if straight lines are drawn from the pivoting pins as at IS to the floor contacting points of the foot portions, such lines will fall considerably outside the axes of the hinges at H (by a distance equal to the length of line (b) Thus the weight of the table and any pressure exerted thereon will tend to hold the knuckle-like joint at H in position to maintain the table top elevated, whereas if the leg structures contacted the floor at points directly under or in line with the joints I l, H, the structure would be more readily collapsible and the table top would not be so securely locked in effect in its upper position. Thus the divergent foot portions of the Duncan Phyfe design cooperate with the knuckle-like joints at 11, ll" to afford a stable structure while still making it possible to have leg structures which always present an upright graceful appearance.

If desired in order to aid in elevating thev table top from its lower to its upper position, a helical tensioned spring as at 43 may be provided having one end connected to the under side of the table top as at 44, its other end being connected as at 45 to the link 36.

It will be noted that when the table top is in lowered position, especially if the drop-leaves I I, I2, are down, the resulting structure will present substantially the appearance of a cofiee table of conventional Duncan Phyfe design. The mechanism and all parts which are particularly distinguishable from conventional furniture will be efiectively hidden. Then to raise the table top to its upper position for dinette or card playing purposes it will be necessary for the user to simply grasp the table top and raise it whereby the parts will be quickly and very easily brought into their dotted line positions shown in Fig. 1 with the table top elevated. Due to the fact thatthe knuckle like joints l1, 11' will automatically come into stabilized positions as explained, it is unnecessary to provide any particular means for locking the table top in its uppermost position. Also when the table top is in its upper position, particularly if the drop-leaves are down, no unsightly mechanism or parts will be exposed. To persons standing about the table it will still present the appearance of the conventional Duncan Pliyfe design, and even when the drop-leaves are raised, all mechanism of non-conventional appearance will be so close to the under side of the table top that it will not be exposed to view.

To move the table top to its lower position again it is merely necessary to grasp one of the hand buttons 39, 39 in one hand and pull same outwardly as the table top is grasped in the other hand. During the resulting movement of the parts it will be noted that the braces 22, 23 and the upper leg portions l5, [5 will serve to control the positions of the lower leg portions with respect to the vertical and in the particular example shown the parts are so proportioned that the le portions I6, I6 will be maintained upright whether the table top is in its lower or upper position. In some cases it might of course be preferred to have the leg portions l6, H5 at slight angles to the vertical.

Modifications of the inventions are disclosed and claimed with respect to certain of the embodiments of my copending application, Serial No. 761,690, filed July 17, 1947.

While a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be embodied in various modified forms as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Reference will be had to the appended claim for a definition of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a table construction having a top adjustable for use at either a lower or upper elevation while being retained horizontal, the combination comprising two lower leg structures which are spaced apart when the top is adjusted to the upper elevation and further spaced apart when the top is at the lower elevation, said leg structures each having an upstanding upper part and a pair of foot parts which diverge downwardly and outwardly toward points beneath the corners of the table, a pair of members which form vertical upward continuations for said leg structures respectively when the top is at the upper elevation and. which are directed inwardly toward each other in folded positions along below the level of the table top when the latter is at the lower elevation, one end of each of said members respectively being pivotally connected to points fixed with respect to the upper ends of said leg structures, the other ends of said members respectively being pivotally connected at spaced points with respect to the underside of the top, a braceretaining member fixed to the underside of the top and depending downwardly from the midportion thereof for a substantial distance, a pair of brace links each pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of said brace-retaining member, said brace links also being pivotally con nected at their other ends respectively at points 011 said leg structures adjacent the upper ends of said foot parts, and additional linkage means with connections to control the relative movecause said pair of members to pivot through equal and opposite angles when the table top is raised Number Name Date or lowered. 893,031 Stone July 14, 1908 BORIS HOPPE. 940,804 Hanson Nov. 23, 1909 1,042,020 McCarty Oct. 22, 1912 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,069,483 Simonton Aug, 5, 1913 The following references are of record in the 1074753 Smouse 1913 file of this patent: g g

, ug es a-r. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,808,305 Howe June 6, 1931 Number Name Date 10 1,865,254 Howe June 28, 1932 116,133 Wright June 20, 1871 1,900,528 Statz Mar. 7, 1933 135,274 Hofmann Jan. 28, 1373 2,035,71 Perl Mar. 31, 1936 149,569 Brown Apr. 14, 1874 2,256,004 Thomas Sept. 16, 1941 289,464 Stetson Dec. 4, 1883 2,329,213 Neutra et a1 Sept. 14, 1943 587,518 Bartelle Aug. 3, 1897 15 2,409,495 Kelley Oct. 15, 1946 

